Shoe



Jan. 15, 1952 F1 q. i

G. A. LYON soE Filed April 27, 1951 Patented Jan. 15, 1952 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE SHOE George Albert Lyon, Detroit, Mich.

Application April 27, 1951, Serial No. 223,415

8 Claims. 1

This invention relates to shoes and more particularly to ladies shoeswhich can be economically made from either sheet metal stampings ormolded synthetic plastic material.

I have observed that in walking the major weight of a person is placedon the ball or sole of the foot and as a consequence it is not necessarythat a shoe or slipper have a heel if the body 01 the shoe is madestrong enough so that the weight of the person can be transmittedthrough the shoe to the sole portion thereof.

- An object of this invention is to provide a shoe of such constructionthat it will hold the heel of the wearer elevated, without requiring theuse of a heel on the shoe.

Another object of this invention is to provide a shoe or slipper whereinthe resilient characteristics of the metal are employed in the flexingof the shoe and in the gripping of the foot of the wearer.

It should be noted that when I use the term shoe, I am using it in ageneric sense so as to include in its scope a slipper, moccasin or thelike.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide an improved shoewhich lends itself to very economical manufacture on a large productionscale.

In accordance with the general features of this invention there isprovided a shoe made of relatively thin material which includes a toeand counter or back but no heel and yet which in itself is inherentlystrong enough to hold the heel of the wearer elevated by transmittingthe persons weight through the wall of the shoe directly to the ball orsole portion.

Another feature of the invention relates to the provision of a shoe orslipper which can be made of thin gauge resilient material comprisingtwo substantially duplicate but oppositely opening shell-like halvesjoined together along a line lengthwise of the shoe and which togetherforming the toe, back and sole portions of the shoe or slipper.

A still further feature of this invention relates to the forming of thetoe portion of the shoe so as to include two oppositely curved springyportions relatively flexible for fitting around and engaging the toes ofthe wearer while the heel of the foot is elevated without the provisionof any supporting heel in the shoe.

A further feature of the invention relates to the provision of a shoe asaforesaid with an upward extension transversely curved for resilientengagement around the leg above the foot and so formed that ribbon 01'lace can be used as strings for tying the extension to the lower portionof the leg.

Other objects and features of this invention will more fully appear fromthe following detailed description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing which illustrates several embodiments of theinvention and in which Figure l is a side view of my shoe or slipperstrapped to the leg of a person;

' Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but wherein a lacing isemployed instead of a strap;

Figure 3 is a plan view of my novel shoe or slipper removed from thefoot of the wearer;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary crosssectional view taken on theline IV-IV of Figure 3 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional taken on the line V-V of Figure 4 lookingin the direction indicated by the arrows and shows the construction ofthe toe portion; and

Figure 6 is an exploded view showing two stampings or halves going toform my shoe or slipper prior to their being welded or otherwise joinedtogether.

As shown on the drawings:

The reference character Ill designates generally a shoe or slipperembodying the features of my invention and which may be made from anysuitable self-sustaining but yet resilient material. For illustration, Icontemplate the shoe may be made from sheet metal stampings or from aresilient synthetic plastic material of which there are many kinds onthe market.

In Figure 6 I have shown how this shoe can be made from twosubstantially duplicate but oppositely facing sheet metal stampingslflai0b, each of which has a straight edge lilo-d which when engagedwith the straight edge of the other half can be welded, fused, etc., tojoin the two halves together. While I prefer to make my shoe from twohalves it should be feasible to mold the shoe from plastic material inone piece.

In the event the halves Iona-lob are made from sheet metal stampings, awelded joint may be employed which can be so ground whereby the twohalves appearto comprise a single unitary sheet metal fabrication.

Excellent results may be attained by stamping the right and left halvesIMP-lob from resilient stainless steel sheet metal such as so-called18-8 stainless steel. Preferably a very thin gauge of metal should beused such, for illustration, as a sheet of .018 thickness.

After the aforesaid joining of the shoe edges, suitable bufiing andpolishing apparatus can be employed for giving the sheet metal a veryhigh lustre if the same is desired. On the other hand, any suitablefinishes, colored or otherwise, can also be imparted to thisfabrication.

Now referring to Figures 1-5, inclusive, it should be observed that itis the same shoe or slipper illustrated in all figures with theexception that laces 9 are employed in Figure 2 instead of a strap 3shown in Figure l for tying the shoe to the leg of the wearer. For thisreason the same reference numerals will be used in all figures with the;

lacing. As a matter of fact in Figures B and 4 the fastening meansshown-- may be either the strap ii or the lacing 9.

In Figures 3-5, inclusive, it will be'pei'ceived that the shoe includesa toe portion H, a back portion i2, with an elevated heel supportingportion 33 and a sole portion M. The toe portion ll includes twoopposite curved toe gripping portions lie-4 to (Figure 5) betweenwhichis a keyhole shaped space i5 through which the toes of the wearerof the shoe are visible.

In order to reinforce and ornament the entire portion of the shoe, Icurl or bead the edge at 16. This-bead also serves the purpose ofeliminating any sharp edge which would cut or injure the wearer.

Now one of the features of my invention relates to forming the body ofthe shoe of material so that it is sufficiently self-sustaining or rigidthat its heel portion 53 can be elevated a given space from the groundwithout requiring the use of a heel on the shoe. This arrangement issuch that the weight of the wearer is transmitted through the wall bodyof the shoe directly to the sole portion which contacts the ground andsupports the foot of the person with the heel elevated and also withoutrequiring the use of a heel on the shoe. If it is so desired, aconventionalfabric or leather insole (not shown) could be inserted inthe shoe on top of the sole portion I4. The use of such an inner sole,of course, is Well known and old in the shoe art generally and for-thatreason isnot being shown or claimed herein.

Now, in addition, if so desired the back portion 52 of the-shoe may beprovided with an upper extension 2% beyond the beaded edge 16 which istransversely curved or arched so as to conform generally to the shape ofthe back of the leg of the wearer and so as to grip resiliently andlightly the sides of the leg. The upper end of this extension 20 may beprovided with apertures 2l-2l for receiving either type of fasteningmeans, namely, the strap 8 in Figure l or the lace 9 shown in Figure 2.This fastening attaches the shoe or slipper to the leg in much thesamemanner as a ballet shoe is now tied to the leg of the wearer. However,this extension feature may be dispensed with without detracting from theutility of my invention. If the back extension 20 is used, it serves asa hose guard in protecting the hose immediately above the shoe backportion l2.

By reason of the fact that my novel shoe may be made of highly resilientvery thin gaugesheet metal, the entire shoe can flex readily in thebending'of the foot in much the same-manner as a leather shoe now flexesas onewalks with the same on. In addition, the yieldable clip-like toeportions l ia snugly engage thotoes-of-thewearer so as to assist infitting the shoe to and holding it on the foot.

It will be understood that modifications and 4 variations may beeffected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of thepresent invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. As an article of manufacture a shoe made of thin gauge resilientmaterial comprising two substantiall duplicate but oppositely openingshel1- like halves and joined together to form the toe,

sole, back and wall portions of the shoe with the back portion elevatedabove the sole portion and being supported solely by the wall of theshoe in raised position spaced upwardly from the ground contacting areaof the sole portion and out of direct contact with the ground.

2. -As an' article of manufacture a shoe made of thin gaugeresilientmaterial comprising two substantially duplic'ate but oppositely openingshelllike halves and joined together to form the toe, sole, back andwall portions of the shoe with the back portion elevated above the soleportion and being supported solely by the wall of the shoe in raisedposition spaced upwardly from the ground contacting area of the soleportion and out of direct contact with the ground, saidback portionhaving an upward extension transverselycurved for engaging around theleg above the shoe proper.

3. As an article of manufacture a shoe made of thin gauge resilientmaterial comprising two substantially duplicate but oppositely openingshelllike halves and joined together to form the toe, sole, back andwall portions of the shoe with the back portion elevated above the soleportion and being supported solely by the wall of the shoe in raisedposition spaced upwardly from the ground contacting area of the soleportion and out of direct contact withthe ground, said toe portioncomprising two oppositely curved springy portions for fitting about-andengaging the toes.

4. As an article of manufacture a shoe made of thin gauge resilientmaterial comprising two substantially duplicate but oppositely openingshell-like halves and joined together to form the toe, sole, back andwall portions of the shoe with the back portion elevated abovethesoleportion and being supported solely by the wall of the shoe inraisedposition spaced upwardly from the ground contacting area of the soleportion and out of direct contact with the ground said back portionhaving an upward extension transversely curved for engaging around theleg above the shoe proper, said upward extension being resilientlyyieldable for gripping theback and side portions of theleg.

5. As an article-of manufacturea shoe'madeof thin gauge resilientmaterial comprising two substantially duplicate but oppositely openingshell-like halves and joined together to form the the, sole, back andwall portions of theshoe with the back portion elevated above thesoleportion and being supported solely by the wallof the shoe in raisedposition spaced upwardly'from the ground-contacting area of the-soleportion and out of direct contact with the ground, said back portionhaving an upward extension transversely curved for engaging around theleg above the shoe proper, said upward extension being resilientlyyieldable for gripping the-backand side portions of the leg, saidextension also being provided with means for tying the same to the legas by means of a ribbon and the like;

6. As anarticle of manufacture a shoe made of thingauge materialcomprisingv two 1 substantially duplicate but oppositely facingshell-like halves'which are joined to formthe toe,-baek and soleportions of the shoe with the back portion elevated above the soleportion out of contact with the ground and supporting the weight of theperson solely through the sole portion.

'7. As an article of manufacture a shoe made of thin gauge materialcomprising two substantially duplicate but oppositely facing shell-likehalves which are joined to form the toe, back and sole portions of theshoe with the back portion elevated above the sole portion out ofcontact with the ground and supporting the weight of the person solelythrough the sole portion, said toe portion comprising two oppositelycurved resiliently springable portions for fitting around and engagingthe toes to hold the toes lightly against the sole portion of the shoe.

8. As an article of manufacture a shoe made of thin gauge material,which is resilient and at the same time form sustaining, comprisingsubstantially duplicate but oppositely facing shelllike portionstogether forming the toe, back and sole portions of the shoe with theback portion fixedly held elevated above the sole portion out of contactwith the ground and supporting the weight of the person solely throughthe sole portion.

GEORGE ALBERT LYON.

N 0 references cited.

